Attachment for tire-treads.



r. A. FOX. ATTACHMENT FOR TIRE TREA DS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, 1908.

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ATTACHMENT FOR TIRE TREADS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9, 1908.

Patented M11123, 1909.

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F. A. F0

ATTAGEMEN'I FOR TIRE TREADS. APILIOATIOH FILE-D 9, 190a.

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FRANKA. FOX, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO FOXMETALLIC TIRE BELT COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ATTACHMENT FOR TIREI-TREADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 23, 1909.

Application filed September 9, 1908. Serial No. 452,205.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. Fox, a citizen er the United States, residing in New York city, in the count State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Tire-Treads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for tires, especiallyv to elastic tires of the pneumatic formfwhich attachments are for the.

purpose of preventin skidding or slip -age of the tire on the road, otb laterally an longitndinally of the vehicle; which attachment {5 can be readily attached to and removed from the wheel, w ich will be of simple construction and comparatively light we1ght,-yet

which will have a comparatively large grig pingsurface for engagement with the roa and which will have a comparatively smooth inner face for engagement with the tire that will notinjure the same.

In the accompanying drawingsillus'trat' embodiments of my invention, Figure shows in side elevation a wheel with the tire attachment in place. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary'view enlarged of the tire showing one of the cross members. Fig.3 is a section on the line 3-3 indicated in Fig. 1. Fig; 4 is a so transverse section through the tire and rim showing one of the cross members, with the the depressed by engagement with the road. Fig. 5 1s a side elevation of the turn buckle and Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of.Fig.

5. Fig. 7 shows in plan and Fig. 8. in section one of the cross members. Fig. 9 showsin 'plan the blank for one of the links. Fig. 10 shows another form ofblank. Fig. 11 is a transverse section on the .line 11-11 of Fig.- 7. Fi 12 is a pl an'aview and Fig. 13 a side view 0 one of the attachin links at the ends of the. cross members an .Figs. 14-19 show -modified forms of I The tread attachment is shown as comgrisin two -side members that may be of any exible construction preferablysome form of a chain, a simple link chain 20is'sl1own, and the meeting ends thereof are secured by any suitable attachment such for instance as aturn buckle 21 whereby the chain can be.

drawn taut; A; pair of these'cbains 20 are used, one on each side of the tire and can be -identical. At'suitably spaced intervals are I provided crossmemberswhose ends are serespectively-to I the. side members or of New York and ported at eac chains. These cross member's preferably extend directly across the treadof the tire and may be equal distances apart. In the constructior'i shown in Figs. 1-11, the cross members, are shown as formed of a'series of links that are suitably articulated. The

links are provided with transversely extending loop portions that have substantial fiat tread faces. The links further have preferably a substantial flat base and the flat tread faces on the opposite side lie substantially parallel withthebase. l

The links 22 are shown provided with loop portions formed by tonfiue's 23 and 24 on opposite transverse sides t at'a're bent over upon themselves to form a closed loop with the end of the tongue brought down to engage the base. of the link the three bends being substantially at a right angle to form some-- what of a rectangle m'transverse section,,as indicated in Fig. 111. By this arrangement itfwill be'seenthat a com aratively flat tread portion 25 is -rovided t at is's'tr'ongl'y su end which lies substantially parallel with theiiat face 26 of the link. 1 he links are suitably joined together, preferably by book and -"eportione in the res ective links at their adiacent sides. The b ank 12 is shown provided with a tongue 27 extendin e endicularto'theo ositeton ues eP 'P 8P 8 23-and 24, which tongue is ent to form a hook. On the opposite side of the blank is provided an eye portion 28 of a size to engage wit-lithe ton 'ue. 27 of an adjacentlink on Preferably this hook is formed simicross member, as" indicated in Figs. 1-4.

The eye ortion 28 is referably bent upward from the base so that when t e cross memher is stretched taut the base portions of the links. would lie-in-the same plane, and when the cross'n ember. is placed on the tire the base will lie practically flat on the tire as in- --'dicated in Figs. 3-4.

Suitable means are provided for securing the cross members to the chains or side memmore of the hers 20. In the construction shown connecting members 31 are provided having an eye portion 32 to engage the hook portion 27; while the other end has a hook portion 33 that can engage one of the links of the chain, and'then the hook is closed. But for the ther end of the cross members, the link preferable hasthe eye omitted, and has four 1100K portions 34, 3 5, 36 and 37, one of which engages the eye 28, while the opposite hook en ages-the e e 32 of the attaching member.

t will be 0 the weight'is laced on the tire to compress it, two of .thelinks at the middle of the cross members will lie substantially parallel and engage the ground by the three tread faces of each link. But where the ground or road is comparatively soft, the tire will sink into theground without flattening so much and links will engage the ground.

, From this construction there will be comtudinally.

aratively sharp edges of the two transverse ks to engage the ground and prevent skidding or lateral movement of the tire onth'e ground; And thelater'aledges of the articulated hook portions will engage the ground to prevent slippage of the tire longi- But the fiat tread surfaces ofthe three members will'eflfectuallyprevent sli i- It; will also e noticed that the comparatively flat base of the links will not injute the tire and will not orally and which may be integral therewith.

be forced into the tire as would resultif a chain link or a round member were employed. -Such a construction is of great economy .inthe manufacture as .thecross members are formed of links all of which ma be formed out of sheet metal by cutting and forming dies. The hook meinbers can partially closed and then the hook and eye portionsjoined, when the books can be entirely closed. Means are'provided on the turn buckle for reventing the nut unscrewing and becoming oose. The end members21 is shown rovided with a wingportion 2 extending at- When the attachment is placedon the tire, the chain at this portion can be drawn side- W186 ashort distance to admit of the free turning of the nut until the proper tension is secured, then the chain is released and will be drawn tightly against the tire and the wing 2 will lie against the tire or the rim and prevent the turning of the nut member.

In the modification shown in Figs. 14-19, the shape change The endportions of the tongues tread portion formed by of the tongue me'mbersis slightly are beveled-whereby the hook and loop portions are brought near to the center of the link as shown-in these views. In Figs. 14 and 18 arcshown a link and its blank having an eye 38 and three hooks 39, 40 and 41, in which the hook ends are arranged in'close roximity. Fig. 16 shows a similar link avingan cye 42 and three hooks 43, 44 and 45; the blank for the link being shown in Fig. 19. Fig. 15 shows a link having four hook portions 47, 48, 49 and 50 with the adjacent ends of the links beveled similar to the link of Fig. 14c, such link being used at the end of the chain as indicated in Fig. 8. A similar link is shown in Fig. 17, having four hooks, 51, 52 53 and 54,

. Having claim 1. A tread attachment for tires, comprisr- 5 side members, cross members connected at their respective ends to the side members,

each .cross member formedof a series; of.

thus described my invention, I

links articulated together at their op osite ends, "each link having an integral trea portion on each of its two lateral sides that is bent .upward from the base and them across ia nilC then downward to'engage the base of the 2. A tread attachment for tires,

e p r ing sidemembers, cross'members connected at their respective ends to the side imambers, the cross members comprising. a series of links having-hook and eye portions at o posite sides by which the' links are joined, tlie links having on each opposite lateral side between the hook and eye portions a an integral strip bent upward from the base aiid then extending. across substantially parallel with the base with the extremity of the strip bent down to engage the 'base and support the tread portion, the top ortion of the hook o'f the link being flat and ying in substantially the s- .ae plane as said. tread-portions.

3 in a device of the character described, a link member having an eye portion on one side, a hook portion on the opposite side. with a substantially-flat tread face, and provided with two looped portions located transverse to said hook and said eye ortions having tread portions substantially at and disposed in the same plane as the tread portion of said -hook, the hook and loop portions havrng their end portions -converging' and arranged in close proximity.

- FRANK A. FOX. Witnesses: WILLIAM H. REID, H. D. PENNEY. 

